Everyone is now GATVOL for this “C” word. NO – Not middle “C” on a piano!
Covid-19, Corona Virus, call it what you like, it effected everyone’s life in either a positive or negative manner. Performing Arts also. It is not about which industry suffers the most but rather how each and everyone of us are dealing with this pandemic. We all have a story to tell. Don’t we? I think its imaginable how many people had to change their careers after building on one for plenty of years already. Retrenchments are a reality. The lucky ones who haven’t been retrenched, had to adapt to alternative working hours and working places due to all the restrictions and then the salary cuts with no bonuses. Then we are not even talking about the personal effects on families. Illness or death of family members or friends. The effect it has on our beloved children dealing with isolation during Lockdown and now the restrictions on team sports and activities at school, the grandparents in Old Age Homes who wasn’t/aren’t allowed any contact with their children – absolutely devastating. For the majority of us still being alive, personal relationships and sources of income became a daily challenge.
We all have an opinion regarding this matter. No matter what it is, it doesn’t change the effect of this REALITY. And YES, questions are plenty – answers are few. Our stories would be either depressing or uplifting. That is a decision everyone has to make or already made for themselves.
Plenty artists had to learn new skills. Adapt or change careers. Some became salesmen, others continued feeding their creative nature by starting to paint, others started baking (people will always eat), I see even Robbie Wessels is selling coffee. (Kom Pretorianers, gaan ondersteun hom!). More about my personal experience here. It was quit a journey and it just might help you to do the same.
Most people refer to the times BEFORE and AFTER Covid (or Lockdown). We also do.
“Things” were great BEFORE… Artist’s bookings looked positive and the year calendar board on the wall were full of appointments. Musicians could at least have an indication of how to budget and work with their finances, (more about that here), for a the month or few ahead. We traveled a lot. We performed at Weddings, Birthday Functions, Corporate Events and then everything STOPPED… Just like THAT! No play – No money.
Then the “AFTER” Covid phase appeared.
Performances had to be re-scheduled OR deposits had to be paid back… Can you imagine how it feels for an artist, cancelling a booking from his calendar? Some artists depended upon their niche as a primary income. Luckily in our case we are also music teachers in Piano/Vocals, Drums and Dancing. Lots of our students cancelled their lessons for obvious reasons.
An old colleague of mine said years ago, when I was still a teacher at Arthur Murray Dance Studio – “We are all in this together…”
So yes, it effected each one of us in some way or another. Every industry had, and still have, their own challenges.
The amount of performances are way way down. At least it is starting to “pick up” again, slowly – but surely. I do not want to be a pessimist! Let us be realistic for a moment here – Do you think it would ever pick up again like BEFORE…? Time will tell.
The following words was told to me once by my sister, and I made it part of my being:
“God is slow. Oh so SLOW – but ALWAYS on time!”
We like to hear what your take is on this topic.